People

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My favorite thing in my living room, this CD stand has no ordinary design. It’s one of a kind. Handcrafted with care, my grandpa—a woodworking hobbyist—recreated a CD stand I saw in a catalog. I should note one key difference: It has 88 keys just like a real piano. Each cut individually by hand. On both sides of the stand. With a total of 176 hand painted keys, it’s the Steinway of CD stands.

I own 400-some CDs, but only the best are selected for display. (Disclosure: You can see this includes my own music.) It’s fitting that I’d take this photo today, since my grandpa Joe later called me on Skype. He, my grandma and I connected in living rooms from snowless Minnesota to snowbird city, Arizona.

My grandpa’s handiwork reminds me of what you can accomplish when you combine patience, creativity and concentration. Most of all, that CD stand I see every day reminds me of my grandpa.

He’s one of a kind.